Exterior ice service for freezer-refrigerators

ABSTRACT

A freezer-refrigerator is provided with exterior ice service through the front of the cabinet. Three versions are disclosed, each having a panel forming a portion of the front closure of the freezer compartment and hinged at its lower edge to swing outwardly. Behind the panel in two of the versons is an ice tray and in one of those the panel is connected to the tray so that when opened it pulls the tray forwardly part way out of the freezer compartment. In the third version, a removable ice bin is mounted on the inner face of the panel. In all three versions, the tray or the bin, as the case may be, is supplied with ice cubes from an automatic ice maker located in the freezer compartment.

United States Patent Maxwell et al. Oct. 14, 1975 [54] EXTERIOR ICESERVICE FOR 3,643,464 2/1972 Hilliker et al 62/377 X FREEZERREFRIGERATORS 3,744,270 7/1973 Wilcox 62/377 X Inventors: Richard D.Maxwell; John J. Pink;

Michael J. Fitzharris, all of Cedar Rapids; Louis R. Marz, Homestead,

all of Iowa Assignee: Amana Refrigeration, Inc., Amana,

Iowa

Filed: Jan. 16, 1974 Appl. No.: 433,902

Primary Examiner-William E. Wayner Assistant ExaminerW. E. Tapolcai, Jr.

Attorney, Agent, or Firm.lam'es C. Nemmers; Haven E. Simmons [57]ABSTRACT A freezer-refrigerator is provided with exterior ice servicethrough the front of the cabinet. Three versions are disclosed, eachhaving a panel forming a portion of the front closure of the freezercompartment and hinged at its lower edge to swing outwardly. Behind thepanel in two of the versons is an ice tray and in one of those the panelis connected to the tray so that when opened it pulls the tray forwardlypart way out of the freezer compartment. In the third version, aremovable ice bin is mounted on the inner face of the panel. In allthree versions, the tray or the bin, as the case may be, is suppliedwith ice cubes from an automatic ice maker located in the freezercompartment.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 2 of 33,911,692

FIG 5 US. Patent Oct. 14,1975 Sheet3o f3 3,911,692

FIG 2C EXTERIOR ICE SERVICE FOR FREEZER-REFRIGERATORS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION There are numerous current methods of rendering ice or icecubes accessible at the front of a freezerrefrigerator, for example,without need to open one of its main doors. This is helpful, because thedoor of the freezer compartment is relatively large, and when openedmuch cold air is lost and warm air introduced, all when merely a fewpieces of ice are desired at the time. In some contemporaryarrangements, power driven means dispense the ice piece-by-piece from aninterior reservoir directly through the freezer door, or through a fixedfront panel between a pair of freezer doors as in the co-pendingapplication of John .1. Pink et al, Ser. No. 271,797, filed July 14,1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,923. In still others, an entrance isformed through the freezer door and closed by a separate panel hinged tothe door. On the inner face of the panel is hung a bin which serves asthe reservoir for ice from an ice maker. Or instead of a bin, adrawer-like reservoir is engaged with the panel only when the freezerdoor is closed so that when the panel is then swung open, the drawer isdrawn partway out through the door for access to the ice. In yet anotherapproach, the panel is located between a pair of vertically spacedfreezer doors and is independent of them, the panel forming the front ofa drawer-like reservoir which is pulled out to get at the ice much as inthose arrangements where a crisper drawer itself forms part of the frontof the cabinet between a pair of main doors.

When a bin or drawer is used which opens through the door itself, as inU.S. Pat. Nos. 3,602,007 or 3,643,464, obviously a separate entrancemust be formed in the door and closed by a separate hinged panel. Thistends to be expensive, as compared with the cost of a plain door, and inthe case of the drawer some means, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,464,must be included in order to disconnect the panel from the drawer whenthe door is closed so that the latter can be opened without disturbingthe drawer. If a drawer between two doors is employed, as in U.S. Pat.No. 3,744,270, a rather elaborate suspension for the drawer is requiredas indicated in that patent. The present invention, on the other hand,combines the advantages of the prior art constructions referred to, eachof the three alternate arrangements of the invention set forth reducingcost and complexity while providing direct access to ice from the frontof the cabinet without need to open a main door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Essentially, the present invention utilizes thepanelintermediate-a-pair-of-main-doors approach and so avoids theexpense and complexity of going through one of the doors itself. Theside edges of the panel seal against the vertical cabinet edges whileits horizontal edges, as well as the adjacent edges of the doors aboveand below the panel, seal against a pair of horizontal mullions acrossthe freezer opening, the panel being hinged to the lower mullion so thatit can swing outwards. In one version, the panel opens to disclose atray sitting freely on an interior shelf. The tray, which is filled froman automatic ice maker, can then be grasped and slid forward for accessto the ice. In a second, similar version the tray is releasablyconnected to the panel so that as the latter is opened the tray ispulled forward on the shelf. A third version incorporates a removablebin suspended on the inner face of the panel, the bin being suppliedfrom an automatic ice maker and tilting outwards when the panel is swungopen. Each version incorporates a mechanism which shuts off the icemaker when the panel is open or when the tray or bin, as the case maybe, is not in place. Other and further features and advantages of thepresent invention will become apparent from the more detaileddescription which follows and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a front elevation of atypical side-by-side freezer-refrigerator incorporating the invention.

FIG. 2A is a vertical sectional view approximately along the line 2-2 ofFIG. 1 illustrating one version of the invention utilizing a simple icetray.

FIG. 2B is a vertical sectional view approximately along the line 2-2 ofFIG. 1 illustrating a second version of the invention utilizing an icetray connected to the panel.

FIG. 2C is a vertical sectional view approximately along the line 2--2of FIG. 1 illustrating a third version of the invention utilizing a binmounted on the interior face of the panel.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2B.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are detail views illustrating the mechanism utilized inversions of FIGS. 2A and 2B for shutting off the ice maker when the trayis either absent or the panel is open and the tray is in its forwardposition.

FIG. 6 is a detail plan view of the mechanism for shutting off the icemaker in the case of the version of FIG. 2C when the panel and bin areopen or the bin is absent, the view being taken approximately along theline 66 of FIG. 2C.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A typical freezer-refrigeratorcabinet is shown at 10 having a door 11 closing the food compartment anda pair of vertically spaced doors 12 and 13 partially closing thefreezing compartment 14, the remainder of which is closed by a panel 15between the doors 12 and 13. The top and bottom edges of the panel 15and the adjacent edges of the doors 12 and 13 overlap a pair of spacedhorizontal mullions l6 spanning the width of the freezer compartment 14,the front faces of the mullions 16 being flush with those of the sideedges 17 of the cabinet 10. The panel 15 is hinged at 18 along its loweredge to the lower mullion 16, and includes a pull 19 by which the panel15 may be opened against the force of magnetic gaskets 20 by which thedoors l2 and 13 and the panel 15 are sealed against the mullions 16,like gaskets also sealing the same against the faces of the cabinetedges 17. A shelf 21 extends rearwardly through the freezer compartment14 from the top edge of the upper mullion 16, and below the rear portionof the shelf 21 a typical automatic ice maker 22 is positionedtransversely of the freezer compartment 14 between its side walls 23.The ice maker 22 is equipped with a typical ice level sensing arm 24,extending forwardly from the ice maker 22, which swings up and down toturn the ice maker off and on depending upon the height of the arm 24.To this extent, the three embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C areidentical and identical reference numerals have been used in each.

In the case of the two versions in FIGS. 2A and 28, a second shelf 25extends rearwardly from the top of the lower mullion 16 and at its backend is bent upwardly and then reversely to provide a ledge 26 under theice maker 22 and a rear wall 27 to which it is attached, the rear endsof the shelves 21 and 25 being joined at 28. On the shelf 25 is disposeda rectangular ice tray 30 having a dropped front 31, side walls 32, anda rear wall 33. The tray 30 is provided with a pull in the form of a lip34 along the top of its front wall 31 and is slidable on the shelf 25 atleast part way out the exterior of the cabinet when the panel is swungopen. The rear wall 33 of the tray 30 is located below the ice maker 22so that the latter empties into it upon each harvest of ice cubes. Inorder to shut off the ice maker 22 when the tray 30 is pulled forwardlyon the shelf 25, or is entirely removed from the cabinet 10, a mechanismis provided which automatically rasies the sensing arm 24 to its shutoffposition in those instances, the arm 24 normally extending down into thetray 30 to sense the level of the ice in it and to shut off the icemaker 22 when the tray 30 is full. That mechanism comprises a pin 35extending from adjacent the top of the tray side wall 32 near the trayrear wall 33 laterally towards the adjacent cabinet side wall 23 towhich in turn a shaped lever 36 of plate material is pivoted at 37. Whenthe tray 30 is in location beneath the ice maker 22, the pin 35 residesin an inverted U-shaped seat 38 formed in the lever 36 below the levelof the pivot 37. The sides of the seat 38 diverge to form a pair ofopposing cam faces 39 and 40 along a pair of divergent arms 41 and 42,constituting the remainder of the lever 36. The upper end of the arm 42is provided with an ear forward of the pin 35 and pivot 37 which isfitted with a second pin 43 extending over the top of the tray side wall32 and laterally inwardly of the tray 30 to support the sensing arm 24at its lowermost position (see FIGS. 4 and 5). When the tray 30 ispulled forward, its pin 35 acts against the cam face 40 of the arm 42 toswing the lever 36 about the pivot 37, causing the pin 43 in turn toraise the sensing arm 24 to its uppermost position where it and thelever 36 are retained by a seat 44 formed by an offset bend in the arm24. The tray 30 can thus be removed, the pin 35 passing forwardlybeneath the arm 42. When the tray is replaced, the pin 35 engages thecam face 39 on the other arm 41 and rotates the lever 36 about its pivot37 in the opposite direction, forcing the pin 43 from the seat 44 andallowing it to lower the sensing arm 24.

In the first version of the invention shown in FIG. 2A the tray 30 mustbe manually pulled forward by the lip 34 after the panel 15 is opened.The second version of the invention shown in FIGS. 2B and 3 isessentially identical, except that the exterior of the tray side walls32 just behind the front wall 31 are provided with a pair of open ended,vertical channels 45. The upper ends of the latter receive a pair ofopposing pins 46 extending laterally from rearward extensions 47 of thesides of the panel 15 which embrace the forward end of the tray 30 whenthe panel 15 is closed. Hence, when the latter is opened and thenclosed, the pins 46 engage and slide along the respective sides of thechannels 45 to pull the tray 30 forwardly and then return it. When thepanel 15 is open the tray 30 can be removed entirely simply by liftingit until the pins 46 are free of the channels 45.

Turning now to the third version of the invention shown in FIG. 2C, theice maker 22 is tranversely mounted further forward in the freezercompartment 14 on a bracket 48 so that it discharges into an open topbin 50 which is hooked at 51 over the inner structure of the panel 15and provided with an inset step S2 at the lower end of its front wall 53to accommodate the lower mullion 16. The top edges of the bin side walls54 slope downwardly to the rear wall 55 so that when the panel 15 isswung open for access to ice, the rear of the bin 50 will clear theupper mullion 16. The sensing arm 24 normally extends down into the bin50 in order to sense the ice level in the latter and to shut off the icemaker 22 when the bin 50 is full. So that the ice maker 22 will be shutoff when the bin 50 is not in position beneath the former, adjacent theforward edge of the ice maker 22 a long, depending lever 56 is pivotedat its upper end at 57 to the adjacent compartment side wall 23. Thelever 56 extends between the adjacent compartment and bin side walls 23and 54, its lower end being provided with a laterally offset roller 58which rides against the bin rear wall 55 owing to a spring 59 biasingthe arm 56 forwardly. Partway down the latter, a pin 60 extendslaterally from a tang 61 projecting forwardly from the lever 56, the pin60 passing under the sensing arm 24 when the latter is in its lowermostposition. Accordingly, when the panel 15 is swung open, or should thebin 50 be removed entirely, the lever 56 moves forwardly, causing thepin 60 to lift the sensing arm 24 to its uppermost position and shuttingoff the ice maker 22.

Though the invention has been shown and described in terms of particularembodiments, being the best modes known of carrying out the invention,it is not limited to those embodiments along. Instead, the followingclaims are to be read as encompassing all adaptations and modificationsof the invention falling within its spirit and scope.

We claim;

1. In a refrigeration unit having a food storage cabinet includingfreezing portions normally maintained at below freezing temperatureswith vertically disposed front access openings, and ice apparatusdisposed in one of the freezing portions, the ice apparatus including anautomatic ice maker and an ice storage receptable receiving icemanufactured by the ice maker, the combination therewith of a pair ofvertically spaced, horizontally extending mullions forming a fixed partof the cabinet and defining one of said access openings, the storagereceptable being accessible through said one access opening; a panelhaving a lower edge portion hingedly secured along the lower mullion forswingable movement between a normally closed position in which the panelcooperates with the cabinet including the mullions to close said oneaccess opening and an open position outwardly of the cabinet for accessto the storage receptacle, the storage receptacle comprising a trayhaving a pair of side walls, each side wall including an outwardlyopening channel therein extending between its upper and lower edges, thepanel including means carried thereby normally received in the channelsand engaging respective side walls thereof effective to provide slidablemovement of the tray on a shelf in said one freezing portion from anormal position therewithin out through said one access opening when thepanel is swung to its open position and to return the tray to its normalposition when the panel is swung to its closed position; and hinged doormeans having a normally closed position in which the door meanscooperate with the cabinet including the mullions to close the remainderof the access openings and movable to an open position for access to theremainder of the freezing portions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ice maker includes an ice levelsensing arm movable from a lower position in the tray when in its normalposition to an upper position above the tray, and including means todeactivate the ice maker when the tray is moved to said outsideposition, the deactivating means comprising a first pin carried by theexterior of a tray side wall and extending laterally toward an adjacentportion of the cabinet, a plate-like disposed between said tray sidewall and said portion of the cabinet and pivoted to the latter about ahorizontal axis normal to the plane of the lever, the lever including aseat in an edge thereof below the level of the pivot and receiving thefirst pin when the tray is in its normal position, the seat openinggenerally downwards through said edge to provide a pair of opposed,diverging cam faces straddling the first pin, the first pin and one ofthe cam surfaces being effective to rotate the lever about its pivotwhen the tray is moved toward said outside position, the first pin andthe other of the cam surfaces being effective to rotate the lever aboutits pivot in a second direction when the tray is returned to its normalposition, and a second pin extending from the lever laterally across thetop of said tray side wall and beneath the sensing arm when in its lowerposition, the second pin being disposed to engage and lift the sensingarm to its upper position when the lever is rotated in its firstdirection and to allow return of the sensing arm to its lower positionwhen the lever is rotated in its second direction.

1. In a refrigeration unit having a food storage cabinet includingfreezing portions normally maintained at below freezing temperatureswith vertically disposed front access openings, and ice apparatusdisposed in one of the freezing portions, the ice apparatus including anautomatic ice maker and an ice storage receptable receiving icemanufactured by the ice maker, the combination therewith of a pair ofvertically spaced, horizontally extending mullions forming a fixed partof the cabinet and defining one of said access openings, the storagereceptable being accessible through said one access opening; a panelhaving a lower edge portion hingedly secured along the lower mullion forswingable movement between a normally closed position in which the panelcooperates with the cabinet including the mullions to close said oneaccess opening and an open position outwardly of the cabinet for accessto the storage receptacle, the storage receptacle comprising a trayhaving a pair of side walls, each side wall including an outwardlyopening channel therein extending between its upper and lower edges, thepanel including means carried thereby normally received in the channelsand engaging respective side walls thereof effective to provide slidablemovement of the tray on a shelf in said one freezing portion from anormal position therewithin out through said one access opening when thepanel is swung to its open position and to return the tray to its normalposition when the panel is swung to its closed position; and hinged doormeans having a normally closed position in which the door meanscooperate with the cabinet including the mullions to close the remainderof the access openings and movable to an open position for access to theremainder of the freezing portions.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe ice maker includes an ice level sensing arm movable from a lowerposition in the tray when in its normal position to an upper positionabove the tray, and including means to deactivate the ice maker when thetray is moved to said outside position, the deactivating meanscomprising a first pin carried by the exterior of a tray side wall andextending laterally toward an adjaceNt portion of the cabinet, aplate-like disposed between said tray side wall and said portion of thecabinet and pivoted to the latter about a horizontal axis normal to theplane of the lever, the lever including a seat in an edge thereof belowthe level of the pivot and receiving the first pin when the tray is inits normal position, the seat opening generally downwards through saidedge to provide a pair of opposed, diverging cam faces straddling thefirst pin, the first pin and one of the cam surfaces being effective torotate the lever about its pivot when the tray is moved toward saidoutside position, the first pin and the other of the cam surfaces beingeffective to rotate the lever about its pivot in a second direction whenthe tray is returned to its normal position, and a second pin extendingfrom the lever laterally across the top of said tray side wall andbeneath the sensing arm when in its lower position, the second pin beingdisposed to engage and lift the sensing arm to its upper position whenthe lever is rotated in its first direction and to allow return of thesensing arm to its lower position when the lever is rotated in itssecond direction.